WHERE WE PERFORMED
THIS STUDY?
01
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION
(NCR)
National Capital Region (NCR)
a. Composed of 16 highly urbanized cities and one municipality: Cities of Manila, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, Quezon City, San Juan, Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Las Pinas, Makati, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Pasay, Taguig, and the municipality of Taguig.
b. Has turned into a hub of commerce, trade, industry, and education over the years.
c. Facts about NCR:
i. Millions of Filipinos flock to NCR for better opportunities and a chance for a brighter future - unfortunately, many fail to achieve their right to housing
and become part of many informal settlement communities.
ii. Recently, under the Duterte presidency, informal communities in Metro Manila have been targeted by the government’s War on Drugs. Human rights groups have documented thousands of victims but their cries for justice remain elusive. They had also suffered physically (to the point of imprisonment, and even death, for some!) during the Martial Law.
iii. Many radical groups have been targeted by officials and agencies and tagged as “communists” or “terrorists;” because of this, several organizations have emphasized their opposition towards the national government in order to defend themselves
from these accusations. There have been incidents all over the country as well
wherein activists have been arrested on these false claims leading to more outcries especially on social media.
02
MARAWI
Marawi
a. This city is the capital of Lanao del Sur and is located in Northern Mindanao.
b. Facts about Marawi
i. The people, through their Maranao warriors, fiercely resisted the Spanish military forces who attempted to colonize them in 1640 It was only on March 10, 1895
when the Spanish forces succeeded and conquered the Fort of Marawi
ii. Being predominantly Muslims by faith, it was declared an Islamic City by its City Council in 1980.
c. Conflicts in the region:
i. On May 23, 2017, the terrorist Maute Group attacked different parts of Marawi
City and occupied the city, particularly the commercial and city center.
ii. Later that year, in October, the government declared Marawi was “liberated” from
the group and a comprehensive rehabilitation program was underway. Of its
96 barangays, 24 were found to be the most affected, and around 100,000
of its residents are still living in temporary shelters.
iii. The impact of the war, partnered with the inability of the government to meet its promise to rehabilitate the city, has been a source of anger and tension
among Marawi’s people. Anti-government sentiment and extremist recruitment
even in temporary shelters are reportedly ongoing.
iv. Recruiters have reported to be using money and supposed “support” for Marawi
after the siege as a way to fuel the emotions of the city’s citizens.
v. The recruits are described to go against the stereotypical image of what
violent extremist groups are supposed to target t as they belong to
diverse backgrounds, with educational attainments and much knowledge
about technology. They have also been said to belong to different Muslim
student organizations or have even been alumni from Catholic schools.
03
JOLO, SULU
Jolo, Sulu
a. Facts:
i. This municipality is the capital of the Sulu province, one of the most southern
parts of our country! Sulu’s islands stretch 170 miles southwest from
Basilan and ends near the eastern shores of Sabah, Malaysia
1. Its distance makes it easier (and cheaper!) to travel to Sabah, Malaysia’
than going to the mainland city of Zamboanga
ii. The Sulu sea along with Indonesian and Celebes seas is the center of the world’s tropical marine biodiversity.
iii. In the past, the Sulu sea was also a hot spot for piracy and armed robbery.
Nowadays, Jolo is the center of trade and commerce in the province and
has a pier and an airport. Its pier can accommodate small to large vessels,
and even a naval craft.
iv. Unfortunately, its violent past still has remnants on the environment to this
day. Foreign organizations and even local figures who work in peace see a
cycle of conflict and poverty on the soils of Sulu. This has been attributed
to be the source - or at least a defining factor - in the formation and existence
of violent groups and their members in the municipality.
v. Majority of the people in Jolo and the province of Sulu are Tausugs,
meaning "people of the (sea) current.” Tausugs known for their bravery
and described as superb warriors as well as great sailors (accompanied by
their colorful vintas!). In the region, there are also Samal people (those
who once lived on boats but settled inland); and those of Chinese descent.
vi. It is an island with many extinct volcanoes and the principal economic activity
of the people is fishing. It also has thick forests.
04
ZAMBOANGA
Zamboanga
a. Facts:
i. Zamboanga City is a highly urbanized city in the Zamboanga Peninsula
with a population of 862,000. It’s located in the southwest region of the country!
1. Its distance makes it easier (and cheaper!) to travel to Sabah, Malaysia’
than going to the mainland city of Zamboanga
ii. The dominant people of Zamboanga are called Zamboangeno-Chavacano.
They speak Chavacano, a Spanish-based creole language. Other ethnic
groups include the Tausug, Bisaya/Binisaya, Cebuano, Sama (Samal)
Abaknon, Yakan, Tagalog, Hiligaynon/Ilonggo, and a few others.
iii. In terms of religion, the city is dominantly Catholic with only 17% of the
population being Muslims (as of 2017).
iv. The city has a port that serves vessels plying to and from Basilan, Sulu, Manila,
and other destinations in the country as well as oceangoing vessels. It also
has an international airport.
b. Conflict in this region:
i. Several incidents in the city showcased strong anti-Muslim sentiment in
the city’s recent past.
ii. Officials have voted against its inclusion in the previous Autonomous
Region of Muslim Mindanao because of fears of Muslim domination once the
Council is established.
iii. When the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain was about
to be signed between the MILF and the government, the city voiced its strong
opposition.
i.a. These officials even held a “victory celebration” when the Supreme
Court junked the agreement.
iv. The city also registered its opposition to the Bangsamoro Basic Law, and
rejected inclusion in the Bangsamoro territory.
05
DAVAO
Davao
a. Facts:
i. Davao City is a city within the province of Davao del Sur. With 244, 000
hectares, thus considered the largest city in the world
ii. It is known for its production of bananas, coffee, pomelo, durian, mangosteen,
and many more
iii. It is the home of current President Rodrigo Duterte; he is known to go back and forth between the city and the capital of the country
iv. The original inhabitants of Davao are indigenous peoples from five tribes -
Bagobo-Klata, Ata, Obu-Manuvu, Matigsalug, and Bagobo-Tagabawa and
six 6 Moro tribes - Sama, Maranao, Kagan, Iranun, Maguindanaon, and Taosug.
1. These days, Visayan migrants compose the majority of the city’s population
b. Conflict in this region:
i. During the martial law period, Davao City was a hotbed of insurgency
with many cases of extrajudicial killings.
ii. Davao City has been the target of armed groups, described by authorities as
“Muslim terror groups” or Islamic militants.